The Hurricane Season in Miami - Preparations and Evacuation

Hurricane Evacuation Sign

As I write this, tropical storm Irene out in the Atlantic is getting stronger while it heads in the general direction of Miami, and may have turned into a hurricane by the time it approaches South Florida in about four days time.

Miami and South Florida's official hurricane season is surprisingly long, lasting from 1 June to 30 November.

So May is the time to pick up a hurricane checklist from your local Publix supermarket, complete with a map of the Atlantic to track tropical storms which might turn into hurricanes, and a list of this year's names for hurricanes.

How Hurricane Are Named
The United States Weather Bureau is responsible for naming hurricanes, alternating male and female ones in six alphabetical lists which are rotated. Names are only replaced if used for a really devastating hurricane.

Hurricane Watch
The start of the hurricane season certainly doesn't mean that there'll be a hurricane every week, although there could be more than one hurricane watch in a month, meaning that there is the possibility of a tropical storm or hurricane within 36 hours.

Hurricane Warning
Next comes the hurricane warning, which means that a tropical storm or hurricane is heading towards Miami and is expected to make landfall within 24 hours.

Evacuation Order
Finally the mayor of Miami-Dade County goes on television and issues an evacuation order for predetermined zones, depending on the expected severity of the hurricane.

When my wife and I first moved to South Beach there was an evacuation order just two hours after we moved into our apartment, so we pushed all the furniture as far from the windows as possible to reduce the risk of damage from broken glass and went to stay with friends in the western part of mainland Miami, away from the ocean.

Evacuation Zones
Miami Beach, and all the other islands off Miami, are in evacuation zone A, which is the most vulnerable area, particularly as most hurricanes hit the Atlantic seaboard first. Other evacuation zones are mainly on or near the coast of mainland Miami.

Emergency Services Suspended During Hurricane
Evacuation isn't compulsory, but emergency services including police, firefighters and ambulance are suspended during the hurricane, and the periods before and afterwards. So if you decide to stay at home, you're on your own.

As it happened, we needn't have evacuated, as the hurricane didn't hit Miami directly. Since then we haven't been in Miami during a hurricane, although I remember looking out of the window during a tropical storm and seeing absolutely nothing except a sheet of rainwater.

Evacuation Centres
Just before we decided to obey the evacuation order and leave Miami Beach, my wife and I passed a Scandinavian tourist waiting at an evacuation pick-up site, waiting for the bus to take him to an evacuation centre. (When a hurricane is imminent, normal bus services are suspended, and the buses used to take people to the centres.)

All this tourist had was the clothes he was wearing and his mobile phone. I think he expected to be taken to a hostel with beds, but evacuation centres are schools, where all he was likely to be offered was floor-space.

Centres Not Designed for Comfort
A Miami-Dade County list of evacuation centres also has the following comments: “You should try to evacuate to the home of a friend or family member who lives outside of the evacuation zones. Red Cross Hurricane Evacuation Centers should be used as a last resort. Remember, evacuation centers are not designed for comfort and do not accept pets.”

What to Take If Evacuated
If you are going to an evacuation centre you should take blankets, towels, spare clothes, toilet paper, non-perishable food not requiring cooking, knives, forks, spoons and a can opener. A battery-powered radio would be a good idea, with spare batteries, plus books and games to while away the time.

Also, take documents which prove that you live or are staying in the evacuation zone that you've left, otherwise you might not be let back in again immediately after a hurricane.

Hotels Not an Option
Once there is the likelihood of a hurricane, hotels outside the evacuation zones fill up quickly, so these are not a realistic option.

Staying Put During a Hurricane
If there were another evacuation order, my wife and I would probably stay put, as the apartment block where we now live has hurricane shutters which the insurance company insisted had to be installed as a condition of renewing the insurance, and it's a solid building.

We realize that we'd probably have no water or electricity and therefore no air-conditioning, so for a time we'd be sweltering in the dark. Although we'd be able to move around inside the building, the lifts wouldn't be working. There might be water lapping at the entrance to the lobby, as we live between the ocean and a waterway, but we're on the 14th floor.

Preparations Before the Hurricane
Full check-lists of important items are available online and at Publix supermarkets, but here are a few of the vital ones.

Water – Bottled and in the Bath
Buy two weeks' supply of bottled water well in advance, as supermarkets sell out fast when there's a hurricane warning. Keep empty bottles and containers and fill them with tap water. When the hurricane is imminent, while you still have tap water, fill the bath with water and purify it with bleach (two drops per litre).

When tap water is available again, don't assume it's drinkable. Listen for announcements on the radio.

Non-perishable Food
Two weeks' supply of food is also recommended, which should be non-perishable and not requiring cooking, in case you don't have electricity. Make sure you a have a manual can opener if you normally use an electric one.

Battery-operated Lamps and Radio
If you have hurricane shutters you'll be in the dark should the power go off, so ensure that you have torches or battery-powered lamps and plenty of spare batteries. Better still, buy a lamp which can be hand-cranked. A battery-powered radio will enable you to find out what's happening if the television isn't working.

Plenty of Cash
Shops may open soon after a hurricane, but perhaps without power, which means that you can't pay with plastic. ATMs may not be working, or simply out of cash. So withdraw plenty of cash in advance, and change large-denomination notes.

Medicines
If you need medicines, make sure you have a two-week supply. People tend to panic-buy before a hurricane, and deliveries to pharmacies may not get through immediately after a major hurricane.

Parking Your Car
A car in a multi-storey car park might not be damaged, unless it's at ground level and there's flooding. If left in the street it could be a write-off, or might just vanish.

The Eye of the Hurricane
When a hurricane passes over an area there are high winds and torrential rain, followed by a temporary period of calm while the eye of the hurricane is overhead. Soon the wind and rain will resume again, but some people are fooled into thinking the hurricane is over.

Most Hurricane Warnings Are False Alarms
After living in a hurricane zone for a few years you tend to get a bit blasé about all the hurricane watches and warnings which turn out to be false alarms, and stop making as many preparations as you used to. But you should always remember that the next one could be the big one, particularly if you live in Miami Beach or another high-risk area.

Great Hurricane of 1926
During the Great Hurricane of 1926 ships were lifted onto dry land and few buildings in Miami or Miami Beach were left intact. This was the last direct hit on the centre of Miami by a major hurricane, so after the best part of 100 years we must be due for another before too long.

National Hurricane Center in Miami
Even though the National Hurricane Center is located in Miami, it's very prudently situated at Florida International University, a good way from the coast.